MWIA Centennial Congress Report

Submitted by

Eliza Lo Chin, MD, MPH

MWIA joint representative to WHO

Executive Director

American Medical Women’s Association

Congress Website: amwa-doc.org/mwia100

Group photo on the steps of Borough Hall Credit: Digital Film Work

The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) was honored to host the Centennial Congress of the

Medical Women’s International Association at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott. Over 1200 delegates and

attendees from more than 50 countries were represented, with more than 140 speakers and more than 270

scientific posters.

The energy, camaraderie, and friendship within this international gathering of medical women was visibly

palpable.

UN EVENT AND OPENING RECEPTION

The Congress launched on Thursday, July 25, 2019 with a special United Nations side event, “Women’s

Health: Building Blocks for Sustainable Development Goals” in sponsorship with the Permanent Mission of

Sri Lanka to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, and

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Distinguished speakers included

H.E. Pennelope A. Beckles, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United

Nations; Mr. Satya Rodrigo, Charge’d’affairs a.i. Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations; Dr.

Chantal Line Carpentier, head of UNCTAD, Dr. Jillian Farmer, Director of the Division of Healthcare

Management and Occupational Safety at the UN; Dr. Vanessa Kerry, CEO of Seed Global Health; NASA

Scientist Dr. Camille Wardrop Alleyne; Carlos Garcia Former Ambassador of El Salvador to the UN;

Simone Monesabian, head of UNODC; activist and writer Ruchira Gupta, and author and philanthropist

David Roosevelt (grandson of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt). The event was organized by Dr.

Padmini Murthy, MWIA Vice President of North America. View the video recording.

Regional meetings and dinner were held at St. Francis College as colleagues from the eight MWIA regions

gathered to reconnect and plan for the upcoming triennium.

The Opening Reception featured beautiful performances by Dr. Mary Rorro, who composed the MWIA

Centennial Theme Song, and singer, guitarist Tessany Azizi as well as an amazing story slam hosted by

Elizabeth Métraux, Founder of Women Writers in Medicine and featuring Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, Dr.

Heather Furnas, Dr. Oneeka Williams, and Dr. Arghavan Salles.

Music gave way to dancing, and later in the evening, attendees tapped into their creative selves through

AMWA’s annually hosted paint night.

Speakers at the United Nations side event Credit: Africa Photo Communications

OPENING CEREMONY AND PLENARIES

The opening ceremony opened with welcomes from MWIA President Dr. Bettina Pfleiderer and AMWA

President Dr. Roberta Gebhard. A history panel with MWIA Presidents Dr. Bettina Pfleiderer, Dr. Afua

Hesse, and Dr. Kyung Ah Park summarized MWIA’s legacy over the past century and recognized on stage

over 40 national association leaders from across 6 continents, a powerful display of unity among women

physicians from diverse cultural backgrounds.

MWIA executives with national association leaders Credit: Mary Ellen Morrow Photography

Following this presentation was an inspiring fireside chat with prominent leaders in healthcare within the

United States -- Dr. Danielle Ofri, award-winning physician author; Dr. Darilyn Moyer, EVP and CEO of the

American College of Physicians; and Dr. Helen Burstin, EVP and CEO of the Council of Medical Specialty

Societies -- moderated by Laurie Cooke, CEO of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association.

L-R: TIME’S UP Healthcare Founders, Gloria Steinem, & Dr. Gayatri Devi

Laurie Cooke, Dr. Helen Burstein, Dr. Danielle Ofri, Dr. Darilyn Moyer

Photos Credit: Mary Ellen Morrow Photography

The Linda Brodsky Memorial Lecture was delivered by TIME’S UP Healthcare founding members Dr.

Esther Choo and Dr. Dara Kass who spoke on the need to end gender discrimination and harassment within

the healthcare sector. They were joined on-stage by the larger group of founding members, all wearing

signature black to represent the TIME’S UP movement in a statement of solidarity. The morning session

culminated with an unforgettable conversation with renowned activist, author, and feminist, Gloria Steinem,

hosted by AMWA Past President Dr. Gayatri Devi. The privilege of learning “life lessons from Gloria” and

hearing firsthand her perspectives on gender, equity, and women’s leadership were truly a highlight of the

conference.

Gloria Steinem (L) with Dr. Gayatri Devi (R) Credit: Mary Ellen Morrow Photography

BREAKOUT TRACKS

Three breakout tracks included scientific sessions on global health, gender

equity, work-life balance, violence against women, women’s health,

leadership and professional development, maternal health, healthcare

innovation, obesity, sexual harassment, sex and gender specific medicine,

and women physicians as ambassadors of change. Workshops and special

sessions allowed a deeper dive into topics on graduate medical education,

lesbian and transgender health, professional development, gender bias,

presentation skills, social media, Native American healthcare, burnout,

work-life balance, and mental health. MWIA was also honored to welcome

Dr. Gigi Osler, President of the Canadian Medical Association and great

great grandniece of Sir William Osler.

View the digital program book, photos, and videos (coming soon!).

Dr. Gigi Osler Credit: Digital Film Work

CENTENNIAL GALA

The Centennial Gala honored women physicians in uniformed

service from around the world as well as newly inducted AMWA

fellows. Performances included global premieres of Barbara

Callandar’s play Women Doctors: Unite to Heal the World! and

Sarah Partridge’s song “Courage is a Woman,” both of whom told

the inspiring story of MWIA’s first president, Dr. Esther Pohl

Lovejoy. A mesmerizing sand art show by Ha Jun Kim from Korea

and dance performances by member associations from around the

world concluded a truly remarkable evening. Sand Art Performance by Ha Jun Kim

Credit: Mary Ellen Morrow Photography

CLOSING PLENARIES, AWARDS, AND CLOSING CEREMONY

Closing plenary speakers included Dr. Kate Prior on imposter syndrome, Dr. Florence Manguyu on MWIA’s

role in global health, Dr. Suzy Feigofsky on physician burnout, and Rebekah Apple on trust and

communication in healthcare. The closing Awards Ceremony honored the following luminaries in healthcare

(read details about the MWIA and AMWA Awardees):

MWIA Honorary Members:

Dr. Cisca Griffioen (Northern Europe) Dra. Rebeca Kuniyoshi (Latin America)

Dr. Bettina Pfleiderer (Central Europe) Dr. Usha Saraiya (Central Asia)

Dr. Christiane Pouliart (Southern Europe) Dr. Shafika Nasser (Near East and Africa)

Dr. Satty Gill Keswani (North America) Dr. Bong Ok Kim (Western Pacific)

Dr. Robyn Hewland (Individual Member)

MWIA Member of Honour: DAK Foundation (Australia)

MWIA Lovejoy Scholarship: Dr. Dabota Yvonne Buowari

MWIA Golden Jubilee Members: Dr. Elinor Christiansen and Dr. Satty Keswani, and others (not present)

AMWA Awards: Visit this link: AMWA

POSTER WINNERS

The following posters winners were recognized within each division:

Physician Division

First Place: “Mother’s Mind Matters: Unique Attempt to Provide Urgent Psychiatric Care to Depressed

Perinatal Women within a Psychiatry Residency Program.” Authors: Tareen RS, Kothari C, Gross K,

Liepman M.

Second Place: “Effectiveness and Feasibility of Lung Cancer Screening Using Network System with

Computer-Aid Nodule Detection Program for Implementing in Population.” Authors: Kim Y, Lee

CW.

Third Place: “Increase in the Childhood Thyroid Cancer Incidence Rate in Fukushima Prefecture after the

Accident at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.” Authors: Sakiyama H, Yoshida Y.

Resident Division

First Place: “The Relationship Between Demographic Characteristics of Reproductive Age Filipino-Muslim

Women And Their Knowledge, Attitude, And Practices Regarding Family Planning in Northern

Mindanao Medical Center: A Cross-sectional Study.” Authors: Lucman FM, Alonsabe MOV,

Diawatan MMF.

Second Place: “A Decade-Long Analysis of Gender Parity in Gastroenterology Fellowship Programs’

Leadership, Trainees, and Applicants in North America from 2008-2019.” Authors: Tse CS; Nguyen

H, Hinds P, Shaliesha K,* Haq M, Moss S, Bhagra A.

Third Place: “Head and Neck Injuries Observed in Violence Against Women.” Authors: Gn NT, Fi K,

Diarra Y, Timbo Sk.

Student Division

First Place: “The Relationship Between Barriers to Help-Seeking and Health Issues Among South Asian

Immigrant Victims of Intimate Partner Violence.” Authors: Shah A, Sabri B.

Second Place: “Inflammatory Breast Cancer Masked as Puerperal Mastitis.” Authors: Miller KJ, Ludwig

KK, Bell MC, Loncharich AJ.

Third Place: “A Patient’s Voice Guides Treatment of Pregnancy-Associated Breast Cancer.” Authors: Huang

C, Gehring V, Powell K, Newton E.

CONCLUSION

MWIA President Dr. Bettina Pleiderer (Germany) concluded her presidential term, and incoming President

Dr. Clarissa Fabre (United Kingdom) delivered her inaugural speech, outlining her goals and areas of focus

for the next triennium. Dr. Shelley Ross concluded 12 years of exemplary service as MWIA Secretary

General and AMWA leader, Dr. Padmini Murthy assumed the position as new Secretary General. The next

MWIA Congress will be held in Taiwan in 2022.

The MWIA Centennial Congress was a wonderful opportunity for women physicians across the globe to

come together, reflect on shared history, exchange medical knowledge, and build collegial relationships.

This Congress also marks the beginning of yet another century of collaboration among medical women

around the world.

SPECIAL MEETING EXHIBITS

Map showing distribution of attendees (above)

MWIA Centennial Quilt (right)

Photos credit: Mary Ellen Morrow Photography

International Teddy Bear

Exhibit representing over 12

countries from around the

world.

Art display inspired by Judy

Chicago’s The Dinner Party

exhibit at the Brooklyn

Museum (not pictured).

Photo credit: Mary Ellen

Morrow Photography

MWIA RECOGNIZED IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL RECORD

On Friday, August 2, 2019, just after the close of the Congress, United States Congresswoman Dr. Kim

Schrier entered the following remarks in the United States Congressional Record.

“Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Medical

Women’s International Association (MWIA), one of the oldest international professional organizations,

representing women doctors worldwide.

In 1919 New York City, American physician, Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy, along with international colleagues

from 16 nations, founded MWIA and became its first President. Over the century, MWIA has grown to

encompass over 80 countries as either national associations, like the American Medical Women’s

Association, or as individual members.

One hundred years ago, there were very few women in the medical field. Organizations like MWIA provided

support for women in medicine and more importantly provided a community for them to share medical

knowledge as well as promote collegiality around the world. At the time of MWIA’s founding, a major

challenge for women was the accessibility of medical education. Fortunately, this obstacle has been

overcome in many nations. The sacrifice of these earlier trailblazing doctors helped pave the way for future

ones like me.

Yet the number of women in senior leadership positions shows that the work of MWIA is far from over. By

investing in women physicians, MWIA provides the network and support system to mentor and advocate for

future leaders in the medical field. In addition, MWIA works to improve the health of women worldwide,

advocating for gender specific healthcare, promoting equity, and addressing social determinants of health.

Congratulations again to the MWIA for their 100 years of important work. Their tireless work to open doors

for women in medicine has improved the health of generations of women, men and children around the

world, and for that, we all are grateful.”

View Dr. Schrier’s remarks in the United States Congressional Record.